Vehicle seat with a headrest

Abstract

In a vehicle seat, in particular a motor vehicle seat having a backrest and at least one headrest rod (10) that is slidingly guided relative to the backrest and is locked in an in-use position and can be unlocked by actuating at least one actuation element (21, 23), and also having at least one headrest (6) mounted on the headrest rod (10), the headrest being adjustable in height and removable by sliding the headrest rod (10), two different actuation elements (21, 23) or two different methods of actuating the actuation element are provided for the adjustment and removal processes.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION [0001] The entire disclosure of DE 10 2005 012 896.3, which was filed Mar. 21, 2005, is incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to a vehicle seat, in particular a motor vehicle seat, having a backrest, at least one headrest rod that is slidingly guided in relation to the backrest and locked in an in-use position, and at least one headrest mounted on the headrest rod, wherein the headrest rod is unlockable by the actuation of an actuation element, and the headrest is adjustable in height and removable by way of sliding the headrest rod. [0003] In a vehicle seat of the type described immediately above, it is known that the height of the headrest can be adjusted by actuating the actuation element. If, in so doing, the headrest is pulled upwards beyond the highest adjustable level, it necessarily comes off its mounting. As the highest adjustable level is usually not known, this may occur totally inadvertently,...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006] By providing two different actuation elements or two different methods of actuating the actuation element for the purpose of adjusting and removing the headrest, unintentional removal of the headrest during the adjustment process is avoided because the user must carry out a significantly different actuation in order to remove the headrest. Preferably at least one adjustment notch, more precisely one such notch per each level of adjustment, and at least one, preferably no more than one, stop notch are formed on the headrest rod, with the notches respectively interacting with a locking element of the actuation element to lock the headrest rod in place. When the headrest rod is locked by engagement in an adjustment notch, unlocking is accomplished by way of a first actuation element that is preferably easy for the user to access and that interacts by way of its locking element with the adjustment notch, or by actuating the (single) actuating element in a first particular way. When, on the other hand, the headrest rod is locked by engagement in the stop notch, unlocking is accomplished by way of the second actuation element whose own locking element interacts with the stop notch, or by actuating the (single) actuation element in a second particular way. The second actuation element preferably becomes accessible and / or actuatable when the interlocking with the stop notch occurs. The adjustment notches and stop notches may be formed on different sides of the same headrest rod (e.g., a certain headrest rod) or on different headrest rods, it being preferable in the first case that the actuation elements are actuated in different directions.

[0007] The actuation element is movably located in a space-saving manner, preferably in a receptacle in the head section of a guide bushing in which the headrest rod is mounted. The actuation element is preferably supported and pretensioned (e.g., biased) with respect to the head of the bushing by way of at least one mounting spring. The actuation element is then held in its resting position by way of the mounting spring. The actuation element is then actuated correspondingly, preferably by pushing it against the force of the mounting spring. In the case of a single actuation element, the action element is actuated by two distinctly different methods of actuation, preferably by pressing and turning, or by turning it in two different directions.

Problems solved by technology

As the highest adjustable level is usually not known, this may occur totally inadvertently, in particular if, in order to save material, the rods used for supporting the headrest are very short.

Reinstallation of the headrest is not only considered an inconvenience, but also involves a safety risk, in particular if the headrest is positioned above the highest adjustable level and just below the level where it will inevitably come off again.

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